Is our building equipped with fire safety measures?
At the start of 2023, the Mumbai police filed an FIR against members of the managing committee of a six story building in Ghatkopar that caught on fire in late December and caused the death of 3 people. The fire brigade stated that the fire started from exposed overhead wiring and an ill maintained meter box. The police also noted that despite knowing the state of the wiring and the risk it posed the managing committee did not act on fixing it.
In 2022, it was found by the Mumbai Fire Brigade that over 45.8% of Mumbai buildings did not follow fire related safety rules. Mumbai is constantly growing, with over 5.5 lakh new people joining the city every year. As the population density of our city increases, the risk for fires does too. Since the city is home to buildings old and new, not all of them are equally equipped to handle sudden fires.
Here are a few measures to add to ensure your society members’ safety and the safety of your loved ones –
Fire Extinguishers and Sand Buckets
Fire extinguishers should be available on every floor and in prominent and accessible locations. Extinguishers are a very important firefighting tool because they don’t require a lot of technical knowledge to operate, and they help you stop the fire from spreading. Sand buckets are also great at dousing fires and should be placed around open play areas, parking areas and gardens.
Clear Pathways
Your building’s corridors and landing areas should be free from clutter and easy to move through. This is necessary both for residents who may be evacuating the building and for firefighters to get into the building to tackle the fire. Most old buildings in Mumbai often lack movement space because people store things in the corridors of their buildings. Trash bins should also have a designated storage space since they are highly flammable and can help the fire spread. These rules are also applicable to staircases and rooftops.
Fire Detection and Alert Systems
Installing a fire detection system that can detect and then alert residents about a fire can be a lifesaving investment. While newer buildings have these installed beforehand, old buildings will need to make a provision for the same. Some of these systems also come equipped with sprinklers that can target the area the fire was detected, to prevent its spread.
Evacuation Plan and Practice Drills
Discussing and creating a plan for what the residents need to do in the event of a fire is a must. The plan needs to include details on what to do if a fire breaks out, including information on how to contact the relevant authorities, locations for firefighting equipment and most importantly, means to evacuate in an orderly manner in case of emergencies. Practice drills should be conducted multiple times a year to ensure that residents know the evacuation plan, and are well prepared for emergencies.
Maintenance
Maintenance is an important fire safety measure in two different ways –
- General maintenance of the building: Making sure the general infrastructure of your building is properly maintained because many residential fires start from faulty wiring or malfunctioning equipment. Maintenance of the building structure can also prevent fire-related building collapses.
- Fire safety equipment maintenance: Ensuring all installed measures are regularly checked and kept functioning is important, so that residents are well prepared to combat fire-related mishaps.
Additionally, staying up to date with changing guidelines can help your society prevent all sorts of fires. The Maharashtra Fire Prevention & Life Safety Measure Act, 2006, lists a variety of fire prevention installations based on the height and number of rooms in your building. Since a large number of buildings in Mumbai are old and don’t have these measures pre-built, these installations are all added costs to the society. New constructions and redeveloped societies all have pre-built fire safety measures because they are now necessary as part of the construction approval.
Whether you choose to upgrade your existing safety measures or choose redevelopment for a safer building, fire safety is something that should be an essential consideration for older buildings in Mumbai.